A vehicle identification number (VIN) is a serial number used by automotive manufacturers to uniquely identify vehicles that they have manufactured. Before 1981, different formats of VINs were used in the United States. In 1981, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) standardized the VIN to a seventeen-character format, representing a distinct year, make, model, and body type of a vehicle manufactured for sale in the United States. Europe and many parts of the world implement standards issued by the International Organization for Standardization.
A VIN can be useful in verifying the true identity of a vehicle. For example, since a VIN contains information on a distinct year, make, model, and body type of a particular vehicle, it is possible for a potential car buyer to deconstruct the information embedded in a VIN of a particular vehicle listed in an ad for sale and verify whether the year, make, model, and body type of the vehicle is consistent with the information provided in the ad. In some cases, however, a more detailed description of the vehicle may be desired.